title: Quantum-dot-embedded silica nanotubes as nanoprobes for simple and sensitive DNA detection.
abstract: We have developed a new technique using fluorescent silica nanotubes for simple and sensitive DNA detection. The quantum-dot-embedded silica nanotubes (QD-SNTs) were fabricated by a sol-gel reaction using anodic aluminum silica oxide (AAO) as a template. The fluorescent QD-SNTs of different colors were then immobilized with single-stranded DNA and used as nanoprobes for DNA detection. The optical and structural properties of QD-SNT nanoprobes were examined using photoluminescence spectroscopy, confocal microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The QD-SNT nanoprobes were applied to detect dye-labeled target DNA in a solution phase. The obvious color change of the QD-SNT nanoprobes was observed visually under a simple microscope after the successful detection with target DNA. The quantitative analyses indicated that ∼ 100 attomole of target DNA in one nanoprobe can generate a distinguishable and observable color change. The detection results also demonstrated that our assay exhibited high specificity, high selectivity and very low nonspecific adsorption. Our simple DNA assay based on QD-SNT nanoprobes is expected to be quite useful for the needs of fast DNA screening and detection applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 116, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yi-Yun
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: Chien-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jinn-Shiun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chia-Chun
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002232:Carbocyanines / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000737:chemistry*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000737:chemistry; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000737:chemistry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010316:Particle Size; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: C114557:5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester; D002232:Carbocyanines; D015342:DNA Probes; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012235:Rhodamines; C089187:cyanine dye 3; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D004247:DNA; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate